The present invention concerns glasses of low density for optical and ophthalmic use.
The utilization of glasses with high indices of refraction in comparison to conventional glasses (n.sub.d =1.523) permits, at the same power, a reduction of the thickness of the edge (negative power) or of the center of the lens (positive power). However, an increase in the index of refraction leads in a general way to a decrease in the Abbe number (that is to say, an increase in the dispersion of the glass). If the dispersion is too high, the chromatic aberration then becomes significant and causes the appearance of colored fringes at the edges of the lens. To palliate this defect, the glass must have a high Abbe number.
One other not negligible advantage associated with variations in thickness is lighter weight and this throughout the whole range of corrections, with the exception of very small corrections. For that reason, it is critical that the density of the glass not be too high; one particularly prefers that it be lower than about 2.65 g/cc.
These characteristics will considerably improve the aesthetic appearance of the lens and offer greater comfort to the wearer of the lenses.